DELEWARE, August 26, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In an interview with Bob Krebs, the Communications Director for the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, to which Senator Joseph Biden belongs, Krebs confirmed that Biden's Bishop will not permit the Senator even if elected Vice President of the United States of America to speak at Catholic schools.

When asked for the Bishop's take on Senator Biden and his stand in favor of abortion, Krebs directed LifeSiteNews.com to Bishop Michael Saltarelli's 2004 statement on 'Catholics in Political Life' which, said Krebs, "very plainly states Bishop's position in this matter."

In that document Bishop Saltarelli notes that, in line with the US Bishops Conference policy, "Our Catholic institutions will not honor Catholic politicians who take pro-abortion legislative positions or invite them to speak at our functions or schools."

LifeSiteNews.com called the diocesan communications director a second time to ask if that specific ban on speaking at Catholic schools or Catholic functions would apply to Biden, even if he became the Vice President.

Krebs replied, "I would say that as long as Senator Biden's stated position on abortion remains the same then it would apply to Senator Biden whether he was a Senator or the Vice President of any type of public figure."

In the same 2004 document, Bishop Saltarelli singled out Catholic politicians like Biden who claim a personal opposition to abortion but that they could not impose their faith's beliefs on others. Wrote the Bishop: "No one today would accept this statement from any public servant: 'I am personally opposed to human slavery and racism but will not impose my personal conviction in the legislative arena.' Likewise, none of us should accept this statement from any public servant: 'I am personally opposed to abortion but will not impose my personal conviction in the legislative arena.'"

In the document, Bishop Saltarelli does not rule out refusing communion to pro-abortion politicians but does say that he much prefers "active engagement and dialogue". He notes that he does not expect priests and others administering communion to withhold it from politicians. "That is ultimately my responsibility," he said.

The Associated Press reports that Biden received Communion last Sunday at his local parish of St. Joseph on the Brandywine near his home in Greenville, Delaware. Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput commented to AP that Biden should not present himself for Communion given his public support for abortion.

Biden "has admirable qualities to his public service," Chaput said in his statement. "But his record of support for so-called abortion 'rights,' while mixed at times, is seriously wrong. I certainly presume his good will and integrity - and I presume that his integrity will lead him to refrain from presenting himself for Communion, if he supports a false 'right' to abortion."

Krebs replied, "I would say that as long as Senator Biden's stated position on abortion remains the same then it would apply to Senator Biden whether he was a Senator or the Vice President of any type of public figure."

Biden can’t get much more pro-abort. This whole thing - the selection of Biden - was staged as a challenge to the Church in this country. If the bishops fail us now - for example, by not forbidding Communion to Biden until he repents and accepts the teachings of the Church - the Catholic future is going to be bleak. If the bishops give in now, they will have revealed that neither local authorities nor Rome have any power, and that the authorites do not believe what they claim to believe and the orthodox laypeople are ignored, and therefore, that the State can impose whatever it wants on the Church.

Krebs replied, "I would say that as long as Senator Biden's stated position on abortion remains the same then it would apply to Senator Biden whether he was a Senator or the Vice President of any type of public figure."

**Wrote the Bishop: “No one today would accept this statement from any public servant: ‘I am personally opposed to human slavery and racism but will not impose my personal conviction in the legislative arena.’ Likewise, none of us should accept this statement from any public servant: ‘I am personally opposed to abortion but will not impose my personal conviction in the legislative arena.’”**

Exactly, generally the Catholic bishops will speak out about Abortion, but they don’t want to be seen as meddling in electoral politics (hence most won’t say what Chaput or Burke would say). But since Nancy Pelosi brought theology into the discussion and mis-represented it, the Church has been forced to step up. Nancy Pelosi will live to regret her comments.

I'm tellin' ya, the pope put a buzz in the ears of the American bishops when he was here recently, and "recommended" that they crack down on these "Catholic" politicians like Pelosi, Biden and the rest. Can't prove it. But I'm certain of it. What a turnaround in these guys! Pretty soon, nearly all of them will have spines that can show up in a x-ray!

"Our Catholic institutions will not honor Catholic politicians who take pro-abortion legislative positions or invite them to speak at our functions or schools."

I applaud the Bishop. The church's teaching must be clear. And it is wrong to have politicians who so gravely oppose church teaching speak at Catholic schools. It leads everyone to believe the church approves of that politician, even though his disagreement with the church is an extremely serious matter, that puts his soul in jeopardy.

Furthermore, it makes me furious when such politicians speak at any Catholic institution. I have been in attendance at several of these functions.

Biden well knows he takes a position, and takes action to further the position, his church is strongly opposed to. And at least there is clarity between he and the Catholic Church Representative, his bishop. I'm sure he understands why the bishop won't allow him to speak at Catholic schools. It is doubtful it will make him anymore pro-abortion.

Now if only we could stop Biden from using the church he doesn't really believe in, to gain voter support and votes.

22
posted on 08/26/2008 11:11:30 PM PDT
by TAdams8591
(Proud Catholic supporter of Governor Mitt Romney for VP and future President of the United States!)

Youre welcome (though by no means required) to post politically significant items like this in News.

Thanks, I know I am but I figured there have been quite a few other news threads (including a few I've posted) about the 'Rats and Catholic bishops in the past few days, this one seemed more religious in nature.

26
posted on 08/27/2008 4:50:46 AM PDT
by wagglebee
("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)

Somethin's a-happenin' here folks. I'm convinced of it. This outburst of episcopal assertiveness which we've witnessed over the past several days has come completely out of the blue and is in such contrast to previous timidity and silence. This can only be due to Divine grace.

Call me nuts but I believe that the Holy Spirit is at work here and I believe it is because we've flushed out the homosexuals from the seminaries and priesthood. Well maybe not totally but we've certainly flushed a large number as a result of the abuse scandals. I believe this cancer on the priesthood was a huge impediment to the dispensation of grace in the Catholic Church in this country and was the cause of so many of our problems.

I think we're now starting to see the fruits of that painful but so necessary house cleaning which has been taking place over the last several years and while I'm on a roll, let me also say that I believe the freeing up of the Tridentine Mass may also have contributed to what I can only call an "outpouring of grace" on our bishops.

Long may it continue.

They are now actually starting to resemble.....*gasp*.........shepherds!!

In the document, Bishop Saltarelli does not rule out refusing communion to pro-abortion politicians but does say that he much prefers "active engagement and dialogue". He notes that he does not expect priests and others administering communion to withhold it from politicians. "That is ultimately my responsibility,"

What a cop-out! The Catholic dogma of Immaculate Conception leaves no room for such maneuvering. It is clear that God bestowd grace on Blessed Mary at the moment of her conception. Surely the Bishop doesn't think God bestows grace on creatures without human soul!

And that which has human soul is human! Judging from the dogma he is supposed to uphold and believe in, Mary was human at the moment of her conception. There is no wiggle room left here for any Catholic, lay or otherwise.

If the apostles relied on dialogue there would be no Christianity. Luke-warm is a profoundly Vatican II "tradition." It was unknown to the Church for almost 2,000 years.

Well, in this case the Church (via the Catechism and the Canon Law) is right, and compromising/vacillating bishops are wrong.

Canon 1398 is clear: "A person who actually procures an abortion incurs an automatic excommunication," the canon states. Abortion is intrinsically evil as an act, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church rightly teaches in paragraph 2271 that abortion "is gravely contrary to the moral law" and an "abominable crime."

With regard to those who perform, promote, fund, or are accessories to the practice of abortion, the second paragraph of Canon 1329 already provides for their automatic excommunication as accomplices who, "without their assistance, the crime would not have been committed ..."

It is clear to me that a man or woman who holds political power, who either legalizes of "enables" abortion, especially one who votes against restricting it, or votes in favor of funding it, qualifies as an accomplice and thus comes under canonical excommunication.

All that is needed, is that Catholics in large numbers start acting like Catholics. And that includes the bishops. And me. And, if you're a Catholic, you.

32
posted on 08/27/2008 9:50:05 AM PDT
by Mrs. Don-o
("In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5)

It seems then that Bishop Michael Saltarelli is a compromising/vacillating bishop and therefore he ought to be excommunicated for his cowardly compromise with professing Catholics that aid and abet the abortion practice because he is not exalting the high standards of Canon Law.

I'd be surprised to see bishops excommunicated over this. I would expect to see deliberately weaselly ones appointed as titular bishops of non-existent dioceses "in partibus infidelium" --- which refers to ancient dioceses in places like Saudi Arabia where there are no longer any Catholics.

For instance, in 1995, Bishop Jacques Gaillot, known for his support of contraception, abortion, etc..., was transferred from the see of Évreux in France to Partenia, a titular see in Algeria.

(Snarkle, snort.) Cool.

35
posted on 08/27/2008 12:32:28 PM PDT
by Mrs. Don-o
("The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of bishops." St. John Chrysostom)

If the pope should remove cowardly and compromising bishops because they tolerate professing Catholics that aid and abet the abortion practice, then why shouldnt the pope also be removed for electing to be quiet? Or do you believe that popes are exempt from exalting the high standards of Canon Law?

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